Knitted padding



F. J. FORD KNITTED PADDING March 18, 1941.

Filed 001;. 12, 1939 Patented-Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE3 Claims.

fins invention relates to padding formed of fibrous roving. Whilecapable of general application -my improved padding is particularlyadapted for use in steam press apparatus for laundries or dry-cleaningestablishments, and in fill lit

til

bit

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other similar machines.

it is the general object of my invention to provide a padding ofimproved construction, reduced cost and increased durability.

it further object is to provide a padding in which o. rope of looselytwisted rovings is incorporated as an inlay filler in a. knittedstructure which possesses exceptional heat-conducting andheat-distributing qualifications, and in which structure the stretch inboth directions is in the direction of the arrow '1 in Fig. 4.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

it. preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawing, in whichFig. l is a side elevation of a portion of a roving rope;

hie. 2 is a plan view of one form of my improved knitted padding;

big. it is a face view of a portion of the fabric;

t ig. t is a back view oil a portion of the fabric:

the. b an enlarged detail face view of a knitted structure;

file", t is a detail sectional view, taken along the line tti in. Fig.it; and

t is a detail inverted elevation, looking in the direction. of the arrowl in Fig. 4.

in the manufacture of my improved padding, i. start wlth usual textilefibers, such as shortiength cotton fibers, and first form the fibersinto soft rovines ill. I then assemble a considerable number of therovings ill in the form of a loose rope it, in which the rovings iextend lengthwise and substantially parallel and with slight twist.

ll then feed the rope R through a guide or condenser to a knittingmachine, preferably of the circular type, and produce a knitted paddingtherefrom in which the rope R forms fillers or inlays which are firmlybound in place by a plurality of knitting threads. The slight twist inthe rope R may be largely removed by the reverse twist feeding motion ofthe knitting machine.

Certain of these knitting threads, as 20, extend circumierentially ofthe fabric or lengthwise oi the ropes R at the face or the fabric, whileother threads 2| extend transversely of the ropes (Cl. lid- 193) R whichthey firmly embrace. The threads 2| are interlooped with thecircumferentially extending threads 20.

Additional threads 22 extend in general circumferentially to form achain at the back of the 5 fabric and also pass through the fabric tothe front side and are interlooped with certain of the circumferentialthreads 20. The threads 22 thereafter pass downward through the fabricand also shift longitudinally of the ropes R to loop into the nextadjacent thread 22. The threads 22 thus provide oblique binders toadditionally confine the rovings in the ropes R.

After the padding has been thus knit in the form of a tube, the tube iscut longitudinally to produce a broad fiat fabric. The knitting threadsthen extend transversely of the fabric or lengthwise of the ropes R andeffectively limit transverse stretch. The knitting threads 2i and 22permit a slight but definitely limited stretch my lengthwise of thefabric or crosswise of the ropes R.

I thus provide a padding formed from a soft rope comprising a pluralityof loose rovings, but at the same time I provide a padding in which 25stretch or sagging ls definitely restrained, so that the padding is welladapted for commercial purposes.

After the fabric is prepared as above described, it is out in thedesired shapes and sizes and the go edges are bound in any suitablemanner, as by stitching a tape '1 around the edge, or in some cases, theedge may be finished by overcasting.

When used in steam press apparatus, such as is found in laundries anddry-cleaning establishrnents, my improved padis found to distribute theheat of the steam very uniformly over an extended area. lit is alsofound that the pad does not as easily burn or char at the point wherethe steam is injected.

While these qualifications particularly adapt my improved pad for usewhere steam is injected, it may also be used for many other purposes,such as pads for athletic equipment, for upholstery, and in themanufacture of garments and 5 shoes.

it will be understood that the particular knitted structure shown may besubstantially varied within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention wild the ad- 60 vantages thereof, Ido not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwisethan as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

l. n knitted padding comprising a succession of rope inlays, and aplurality of knitting threads interlaced with each other to confine saidrope inlays and to definitely limit the stretch of the fabric, bothlongitudinally and transversely of said inlays, certain of said threadsextending longitudinally of said inlays at the face of the fabric andcrossing other threads with which they are interlooped, and certain ofsaid latter threads forming chains extending transversely of said inlaysat the back of said fabric.

2. A knitted padding comprising a succession of rope inlays, and aplurality of knitting threads interlaced with each other to confine saidrope inlays and to definitely limit the stretch of the fabric, bothlongitudinally and transversely of said inlays, certain of said threadsextending longitudinally of said inlays at the face of the fabric andcrossing other threads with which they are interlooped, and certain ofsaid latter threads forming chains extending transversely of said inlays at the back of said fabric and having inlayconflning portionsextending both perpendicularly and also obliquely between said face andback.

3. A knitted padding comprising a succession of rope inlays, and aplurality of knitting threads interlaced with each other to confine saidrope inlays and to definitely limit the stretch of the fabric, bothlongitudinally and transversely of said inlays, certain of said knittingthreads extending longitudinally of said inlays at the face of thefabric and crossing other knitting threads with which they areinterlooped, certain of said latter threads forming chains extendingtransversely of said inlays at the back of said fabric and havinginlay-confining portions extending both perpendicularly and alsoobliquely between said face and back, and other of said latter knittingthreads forming chains disposed transversely to said inlays andseparately encircling and confining each inlay.

FRANK J. FORD.

